As we press on through the Epistle to the Romans into chapter twelve, the Apostle Paul, teaches practical and relevant application of the theological principles taught previously in the letter. In today’s installment, our Pastor Teacher, Landis Fisher explains how that all believers must humbly approach personal holiness and therefore, to maintain corporate holiness as “One Body In Christ”
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Psalms 78:1 – 8 (KJV)
Psa 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Psa 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Psa 78:3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Psa 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Psa 78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
Psa 78:6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
Psa 78:8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Romans 12:1 – 5 (KJV)
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) The “Community and fellowship” of the believers in Christ Jesus, is an essential standard that must be upheld in routine Christian life; unlike the cyclic patterns of unbelieving Israel, who failed to properly maintain and transmit separate community as God had demanded in His Word, which was also the only consistent source to return to for proper correction from deviation; then and now.
2) We are to maintain not only personal standards of holiness as individuals, but also corporate holiness as “One Body in Christ” who represents Christ to the world.
3) Humility and not arrogance, must be employed in all things to give rise to the understanding of How it is that we are saved so as to be a living letter to the world demonstrating the love of God in Christ Jesus.
